The Effect of Scaling and Root Planing on Gingival Crevicular Fluid and Salivary Levels of Inflammatory Biomarkers Among Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems User, Smokers and Non-Smokers

2.1. Ethical approval Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Health Sciences Center at Kuwait University. All volunteering individuals were requested to read and sign a consent form written in simple English and Arabic.

2.2. Study Area/Setting The present longitudinal study was conducted between November 2021 and September 2022 at the Kuwait University Dental Center (KUDC). The study participants were regular patients attending the KUDC and the sampling design was convenience sampling.

2.3. Selection Criteria The inclusion criteria: ENDS-users, non-smokers, age (18-25), gender (men), periodontal health status (gingivitis), having minimum number of 20 teeth, and medically healthy. The exclusion criteria: Patients who did scaling and root planing in the past 3 months, T-cigs smokers, and dual smokers.

2.4. Data Collection Methods, Instrument Used, Measurements A standardized questionnaire including a consent form was used to gather information regarding gender, age (in years), nationality, marital status, highest level of education, oral hygiene status, last dental visit, last time that scaling and root planing was done, smoking status, type of smoked product, duration of ENDS usage (in years), frequency of ENDS usage per day, number of ENDS puffs taken per session, family smoking history, exposure to secondhand smoke, general health status, and attitude towards smoking.

2.5. Blinding